Over the last several years I have wrote about Spiral Island, Reishee Sowa’s private island constructed out of a quarter of a million used pop bottles. Unfortunately the island was destroyed by a hurricane in 2007 and was forced to start over from scratch. Fast forward to the present and Reishee has become Rishi (and sometimes Richie) and his island has been reborn. His new island is a bit smaller, a modest 120,000 bottles, but he has “all the luxuries of home, including a private island for his ducks and a conch shell intercom system.” On his website Rishi notes: On his social networking website , Rishi tells us how his islands might benefit the world. This old world economy is upsetting nature’s balance and polluting the air, so now carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are exponentially increasing as a seemingly ever growing world population using unecological industries continues to creep over the surface area of our gem of a planet and Mother Earth.

The media often focuses on the most expensive islands, or those owned by celebrities. I have often emphasized that there are hundreds of islands affordably priced and well within the range of the average Jow (or Jane!). The Jerusalem Post recently featured not one but 365 affordably priced islands. The Jerusalem Post noted that this gaggle of islands is located just off the coast of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and many of them can be privately owned by individuals who seek the seclusion and tranquility of this breathtakingly beautiful spot. The Post noted that several of these of these islands are open to us mere mortals who can only dream of being the kings (or queens) of their own land one day.

Although living on a private island is the ultimate way to live on the open seas, in the not too distant future people may be living on private islands but man made structures located below the water. One new proposal by UK-based designer Phil Pauley envisions a biosphere set in the ocean that would create a self-sustaining underwater habitat for aquanauts, tourists, and oceanographic life sciences. Made up of submersible spheres, the structure dubbed Sub Biosphere 2 would maintain and support life while acting as a secure underwater seed bank. The large self-sustaining system can float on top of the water or submerge and travel along rails all the way to the ocean floor

Chris Krolow, CEO of Private Islands Inc., recently sat down with the Toronto Sun to discuss all things private islands. According to the Sun island fever has been growing in the country due to a record breaking jack pot in the countries lottery. Krolow discussed the plethora of celebrities who own or have owned private islands including John Lennon, Johny Depp and Faith Hill and Tim McGraw. Krolow was careful to note that Chris Krolow, CEO of Private Islands Inc. and publisher of Private Islands Magazine, says celebrities make up a small percentage of island owners, with many buyers being business people looking for cottages.